LOZANO RECEIVES 7-YEAR SENTENCE

MIAMI -- A Dade County judge on Wednesday sentenced Miami police Officer William Lozano to seven years in prison for the killing of two men, but allowed him to remain free during his appeal.

Lozano may stay out of jail for up to two years as his case is argued before an appeals court and possibly the Florida Supreme Court.

The sentence for the Hispanic officer was immediately criticized as too lenient by some blacks and the families of the victims, who were black.

"There are black men serving 30 to 40 years in prison for stealing a loaf of bread. ... This is a slap on the wrist," said Ray Fauntroy, president of the local chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, as he left the courtroom.

"My brother is gone, and he gets to go home," cried Patricia Lloyd, a sister of one of the victims. "This is going to kill me."

"All the Hispanic community is celebrating. This concerns us all," said Luz Rodriguez, a Lozano supporter. "The sentence was good, but it's not the end."

Dade Circuit Judge Joseph Farina said he realized before issuing his sentence that he would not please everyone in this highly emotional case.

Lozano, 30, was convicted in December of two counts of manslaughter in the shooting deaths of motorcyclist Clement Lloyd, 23, and his passenger, Allan Blanchard, 24, in Overtown on Jan. 16, 1989.

The killings of two black men at the hands of a Hispanic officer sparked three days of racial disturbances in Miami during Super Bowl week last year. The slayings have increased tensions in Miami's already divided multiethnic community.

"The court cannot do perfect justice in this case," Farina said. "Perfect justice would mean for me to restore the life of Clement Lloyd and Allan Blanchard and restore Lozano to his previous public service."

As the judge read the sentence, Lozano blinked nervously, then stared at prosecutors.

Lozano then walked over to the clerk's table to be fingerprinted, a requirement before he could be released on $10,000 bail.

The officer, whose career in law enforcement is expected to be over, was hustled through a rear exit and then ran through a crowd of reporters and photographers on his way from the courthouse to his car. He is expected to be officially fired soon by the Miami Police Department.

Although Farina denied Lozano's request for a new trial during Wednesday's hearing, Lozano said later that his battle is not over. He has 30 days to file an appeal.

"This is not the end. It is only the end of the beginning," Lozano said. "We will continue to fight within the system for truth and what is right."

Lozano also thanked the supporters who have rallied to his side and helped raise money for his defense.

After the sentence was pronounced, the hall of the courthouse was filled with Lozano supporters applauding the decision and opponents voicing disapproval.

Many of the supporters, including some off-duty officers and Colombian- Americans like Lozano, were already planning celebrations.

"This is a good police officer like no other. The sentence was fair," said Luz Gutierrez, a friend of the Lozano family.

In the midst of the celebration, Allan Blanchard's sister pushed through a sea of reporters, without comment, her face set in anger. Clement Lloyd's mother, Adina, fighting back tears, walked silently down the hall past people holding up their fingers in a victory "V" and waving Colombian flags.

Assistant State Attorney John Hogan said he was satisfied with the sentence.

"I think it was fair under the circumstances," Hogan said. "We have done a great deal of agonizing over what to recommend."

The prosecution had asked that Lozano get 12 years. The defense asked for probation.

If the judge had followed state guidelines and the prosecution's worksheet, Lozano would have received between 12 and 17 years. However, the judge could hand down a sentence of between 7 and 22 years without giving an explanation.

Lozano's attorney, Roy Black, would not speculate on how long Lozano could spend in prison if his appeals fail, saying only that he would have to "spend a considerable amount of time with the maniacs in Florida prisons. These are not pleasant places."

Lozano probably will go out and look for work while awaiting appeal, Black said.

Some black leaders accepted the sentence.

"I don't think Mr. Lozano did what he did intentionally, I think he did it in a moment of fear. The judge has a right to sentence him as he sees fit, and according to the law, he can be be out on bond for a manslaughter conviction," said Georgia Ayres, a Miami black community activist.

Willie Sims, a member of the Dade Community Relations Board's crisis team, agreed that Farina was in a no-win situation.

"It was our belief he would sentence on the low end of the scale," Sims said. "The judge couldn't satisfy both sides. Somebody was going to be unhappy with the sentence."

Miami police spokesman Sgt. David Rivero described the sentence as average for a manslaughter conviction.

"This is a democratic system, and we police officers have to accept that," Rivero said.